At the official ceremony, the Chair of GWP-WA, Pr. Abel AFOUDA stressed the importance of this project for the countries and the results achieved to date for the strengthening of political dialogue and knowledge of resources in a climate change context.
The representative of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), Mr. Bréhima COULIBALY, expressed the satisfaction of his institution to host this project in the basin and the progress achieved so far. He noticed the signing of memorandum of understanding between NBA and GWP-WA.
The Head of Operations of the Global Water Partnership Organization (GWPO), Mr. Jacques REY, said that GWP was willing to support countries in achieving their water security goals.
The representative of the Joint Research Centre of the European Union (JRC), Mr César CARMONA, thanked the scientific and research institutions in the countries and at the regional level, 
whose availability and collaboration have made it possible to achieve significant results in improving the living conditions of the people of the Mekrou basin.
In his opening speech, Mr. Habdoulaye KOUDAKIDIGA, appreciating the pilot character of the project and the results obtained, urged the various actors to seek financial and human resources for a second phase of the project.
The meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of the project's progress. At the institutional level of the project, the physical implementation rate is 93.3% with 78% as the financial implementation rate. For the scientific component, 95% of the activities were carried out and 98.4% of the budget.
To develop the Strategic Framework for Water Security (CaSSE), the preliminary report of the Master Plan for Water Development and Management (SDAGE) was presented and reviewed. The preliminary draft SDAGE has been drawn up based on a preferential scenario. It comprises four fundamental orientations which constitute the guiding principles for strategic actions in response to the water resources management problem of its area of application.
The Program of Measures and Investment Plan (PMPI) document is an important annex to the SDAGE which was also reviewed as well as the Water Development and Management Scheme (SAGE) as an operational declination of the SDAGE, in this case in each national portion of the transboundary Mekrou basin and its area of influence (space of application of the SDAGE).
SAGE is not only in line with the strategic framework for the management of water resources in this area, but also with the development priorities defined by the area's stakeholders.
The studies on the various documents should be continued to finalize them taking into account the amendments. The main recommendation to be retained is the willingness expressed one again of the countries to have a second phase of the Project.
